Public participation in democracy, local accountability and happiness: Evidence from rural China

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Liu, Yongzheng; Wang, Liyan; Ye, Maoliang
• 署名单位: Renmin University of China; Shenzhen University; Southern University of Science & Technology
• 刊物名称: GOVERNANCE-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF POLICY ADMINISTRATION AND INSTITUTIONS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0952-1895
• DOI: 10.1111/gove.12738
• 发表日期: 2023
• 关键词: grass-roots democracy; life satisfaction; political-economy; governance; ELECTIONS; GOVERNMENT; institutions; performance; COMPETITION; INEQUALITY

摘要

This study examines how an important reform of local governance-village democracy-in the world's most populous areas has affected the happiness of residents in rural China. We find that introducing elections per se has no significant impact. In comparison, direct nomination of local leaders by villagers, which is a form of competitive election involving a high degree of public participation in political decision making, leads to higher levels of happiness. Further mechanism analyses show that direct nomination improves the local accountability of elected leaders by boosting the quality and effort of village heads and their governance performance by lowering the tax burden of villagers and vitalizing local public services. Our results highlight the importance of public participation in democracy and the underlying role of local accountability in affecting the subjective well-beings of citizens.